How To Write A Veterinary CV

Structure that works

• Name, RCVS number, location and contact details at the top. Nothing else in the header.
• A short personal profile of no more than four lines.
• Clinical experience, most recent first, with dates and practice type.
• Skills and procedures grouped sensibly, not as a wall of bullet points.
• Qualifications and CPD.
• References available on request.

What to include in each role

Give the practice type, size of team, caseload and the sort of work you actually did. Two or three sentences is usually enough.

For a small animal role, mention consult length, ops days, imaging and any lead responsibilities. For a mixed or farm role, describe the split honestly and the areas you enjoyed.

Skills without the wall of text

A skills list works best when it is grouped. Soft tissue surgery, orthopaedics, imaging, dentistry, medicine, anaesthesia. Under each heading, list two or three procedures at the level you are comfortable performing unsupervised. Do not list every procedure you have ever seen.

Common mistakes

• A three page CV for a five year career.
• A list of every CPD event since graduation.
• Generic personal statements that could apply to any profession.
• Photographs of yourself or of animals.
• Salary expectations on the CV itself.

Tailoring without rewriting

You do not need a different CV for every application. You do need to reorder the top of your CV to reflect what the role is looking for. If a practice wants strong dentistry, put your dentistry experience earlier and expand it slightly.

Frequently asked questions

How long should my CV be?

Two pages is ideal for most vets and nurses. Three is acceptable for very senior clinicians.

Should I include a cover letter?

A short paragraph in the email is usually enough. A full formal cover letter is rarely read.